A Meaning to Life (story)
Leja is the poor girl who at young age was sold to a nearby temple as a sacrifice. Unlike most potential protagonists, she is perfectly fine with these events. Kalchas on the other hand is constantly moving around, looking for the path of Least Possible Pain and Wonder What This Thing Does. He is also a demon. This isn’t normally a big issue until he is captured by a bunch of priests and brought to a certain temple. By contrived coincidence, Leja is sacrificed to Kalchas. Kalchas however, is more interested in escape and takes Leja with him as a guide through the temple. Since neither of them has anything better to do he convinces Leja to follow him on a journey. Chapter 1 It really is a nice day today, isn't it? The thought struck Leja as she felt the warm sunlight caress her bare arms, and she stretched a little as the warmth seeped through her body. She hadn't had an errand outside the inner temple in almost a week and during that time she had almost forgotten that faint prickling as the heat slowly worked itself over her skin. The air was fresh compared to the staleness inside, held at bay with incense in lack of windows. There had been a time when she felt like she would suffocate in there, before she got used to the clammy warmth in the innermost of the temple and the sharp spicy smell of incense. Then she snapped out of her daydreaming and returned to her given task - sweeping the marble floors of the outer temple. Unlike the inner temple, the outer was airy with a simulated indoor feeling created by numerous white pillars that held up the intricately decorated roof. Not that Leja could grasp why someone would like fire-framed beasts and sprites painted in the ceiling where you can’t possibly admire them without earning yourself a wry-neck. Then again, what would a maid know about these things? Her duty was to follow orders, not philosophise. From the other side of the high stone walls she could faintly hear the everyday city sounds of people milling about and - if she really strained her ears - the upbeat music from a street performance further away. However, no matter how close it could seem sometimes, she knew that the outside was a different world. People from the outside would every day pass through the outer temple area to consult the priests. Guards from the temple would every now and then leave the area on their nights off to do whatever men did on their nights off, returning somewhat unsteady and a bit louder than they left. Occasionally, even the priests would leave the temple to deal with some no-doubt important matter. However, temple maids do not ever leave the temple once they’ve been listed. You get in; get a bed, clothes and enough food not to starve in exchange for keeping the great old temple in good condition. The only real down side with the deal was the drawing of lots for the sacrifices, which unnerved quite a lot of the girls until the realisation hit, that sooner or later it will be your turn so one can just as well expect it rather than fear it. After all, if death is inevitable then you could just as well be dead already. You’re dead the moment you’re in the lottery. All that’s left is the execution. Leja herself considered the sortition to be a fair deal. Seven times every year, the lottery was held to pick out which one girl would be led to the inner temple as sacrifice to the ancient Demon Gods. It was an efficient and fair method worked out long, long ago. It was especially efficient if you compared it with the method rumoured to have been in use before that, taking the first girl closest to the door, which supposedly had inspired a reoccurring manifestation of hide-and-seek whenever the ceremony came into question. Leja added a little more force in her sweep on the thought of the primary duty of the temple maids. She had almost forgotten when she got out in the sun, but there had been a ceremony the other night and Cleia and Altha had been allotted to clean the inner temple altar hall. Those two were new, and it was only a matter of time before the maids’ overseer, old Ina , would ask someone working outdoors to switch places with them. Could just as well be Leja, she knew she could stomach the smell by now, and the smell was the hard part. Once you get past that it’s just blood after all. Leja had been right in her guess but by the time wrinkled old Ina came, with Altha huddling in tow, Leja had already cleared most of the first hall of the outer temple. Ina inspected her work and hummed appreciative, but didn’t bother to answer Leja’s greetings. “Leja girl, this child-” she jerked her head at the pale young girl behind her “-left the sacred hall messier than she entered it. Go help her friend to do it right or we’ll look silly before the priests.” Leja bowed lightly before the older woman and replied with just the faintest hint of mockery “Yes, ma’am Ina”. The woman gave her a hard pat on the shoulder. “You’re a good girl Leja, you do a good job, but don’t go thinking I won’t pick that one up.” “No ma’am Ina.” “Swabs and scrubs are left in the hall; you can start with washing that smile off your face. Now off you go, no lazing around!” 'Talking with Cleia' Leja met up with Cleia in the altar hall, and she proved to be tougher against the scene than Leja had expected, although she still kept to swabbing the far side of the room, leaving Leja to scrub the bloody and puke-stained altar by herself. Still, she had expected them both to give in. “How can you do that?” Leja dropped the dirty cloth in the bucket of reddening water and looked up at the younger maid. “Do what?” “How can you just… clean it up - as if it’s anything?” Cleia’s face was dark with frustration and poorly concealed anger as she gestured vaguely towards the altar. “Habit, I guess.” The girl seemed so upset, Leja thought it better to not say that anything is just what it was to her – the sacrifices were their very purpose in life after all. “You know that was Rica, right? You talked to her not twenty hours ago!” Wringing the bloody water out of the cloth, Leja went back to the scrubbing. “You’re not saying that I should let it stick to the stone because I knew her, are you?” “But it just seems… wrong. That could have been me! Or you - at least don’t look so stone-faced when you wipe it up!” “Don’t flail with the swab. The lot could have fallen on anyone, but it must fall on someone, right? That’s why we’re kept here.” She thought of something encouraging to say. “At least we’ll be of good use before dying. A lot of people die without being of any use at all.” “Swabbing the blood of our friends?” “And when it’s our time someone will swab after us.” “That’s horrible!” At that point, Leja gave up on the girl. If she stuck around long enough she’d understand. If she didn’t, she’d be dead and wouldn’t have to worry anyway. In the worst possible situation she’d try to run away. Leja had seen desperate girls try just about anything to get out. It generally was a bad idea even when they planned far enough to know where to go. 'Introducing Kalchas' The world blurred in and out of focus as Kalchas gradually returned to consciousness, almost wishing he wasn’t. There was a dull but persistent headache, not unlike the growing-pains of budding horns. Although right now it felt more like they were falling off. From his head and down his spine seeped a throbbing soreness that held him down sort of as if someone had placed a boulder on top of him. With a pang of panic he noticed that he couldn’t move his wings, but calmed down when he picked up the faint rattle of chains. Chained wings are by far better than no wings. Immobilised as he was, Kalchas made an attempt to puzzle the near past together despite the protests voiced by his head. He had been travelling rather aimlessly in scarcely populated areas. Nice day, bright sunshine and no likely threats. For all he knew he was the only demon in this entire world. In retrospect, it had been really, really stupid to let his guard down. Then again, running into humans, even a whole group of them, would as a rule not be a problem for a demon. Not even the kind of humans in silly robes with staffs. Well, he’d just found the exception to that rule. Hoof beat, neighs and a distinct smell of muck indicated that whatever people he had run into had decided to move him somewhere. As he tried to open his eyes it was clear that he was placed face down in a small stack of rather smelly straws. “Ghck”, he summarized, and made an attempt to raise his sore head to look around and more importantly catch a whiff of fresh air. It took a surprisingly great deal of willpower to force the simple task of his body, and he got the distinct feeling that the view wasn’t really worth the effort even if the air was better once he got his nose out of the makeshift bedding. Not only was he transported, but he was transported in a cage that looked depressingly sturdy. Perched on horses around the cage were the robe clad men he had had the great ill fortune to meet last time he was conscious. More ill fortune came his way as one of the men noticed that the battered demon was awake and raised an unpleasantly familiar staff. “Oh come o-“ was all Kalchas got to say before he fell back into aching unconsciousness, once again planting his nose in the smelly straws. Chapter 2 'The demon arrives' The demon arrived a few days after the sacrifice, just an hour after nightfall. It was supposed to be a secret for all but a few guards and priests, but one of the maids had been left up to clean statues after accidentally cracking some tableware. Unnoticed she had seen the high priest uncover the cage and heard the whispered conversation. After that she took off her sandals and quietly hurried back to the dark chambers where the other maids slept. Before dawn broke, every girl in the temple knew that a real demon was kept in one of the many underground cells, far beneath the temple. A real demon God. A real one. A God! Leja tried to shut the chatter out and ignore them. She had chores to do, and they weren’t supposed to know about this. Besides, what difference would it do to get excited or terrified or just upset over the matter? Nothing. Nothing at all, she scolded herself as her fingers fumbled with the cloth she used as an apron. She chanted the same phrase over again a few times before tying her hair back wit a short, determined movement. She was all set and once again calm in her conviction. Walking through the halls she noticed that the guards seemed uncomfortable, glancing at each other every now and then and leaning together for hushed conversations when they thought no one was looking. Apparently it wasn’t just the maids that gossiped last night. “Leja!” The sharp whisper made the nerves in her back knot together before Leja turned around and recognized the guard, a quiet man aged thirty-something that had offered her a smile every now and then. She hadn’t really talked to him as such, but recalled his name as Joktan . “Can I help you with something?” “Have you heard? About the demon?” There was something strained about his voice, as if he was holding something back. Leja, who’d already had enough gossip, wondered why he wanted to talk to her about this. “The one that came last night; rumoured to be fifteen feet tall, claws like leaf rakes and currently hidden somewhere in the underground labyrinth?” Leja hitched up an eyebrow and Joktan seemed to get the hint. The description wouldn’t have been wrong on a demon if it hadn’t changed numerous times over the night. “Hm, don’t know if it is that tall or what it claws look like, but they say the high priest will arrange a new sacrifice. Apparently he’ll supervise the lottery personally. Today.” He watched her almost a little too intense for her comfort, as if he was searching for a reaction. “Well…” Leja let the word stretch out as she thought through the news and her response. At least it seemed like the demon wouldn’t be kept secret any longer. “I suppose it would be…''impolite'' not to offer something – someone – if the temple is housing a demon God in the flesh. The sooner the better, before we offend it. The personal presence of the high priest will mark the significance.” She nodded, more to herself than for Joktan’s benefit, pleased with the simplicity of logic and common sense. “You’re not worried?” “That the demon will be angry with us?” “That you might get sacrificed.” “No.” “No?” Joktan seemed surprised, then almost hesitant. “Because you’ve been here for all these years without getting your name dawn for the sacrifice? You think you are… protected?” “Don’t start you too!” Surprised at how loud her words came out, Leja clamped her mouth shut and just frowned until she trusted her voice to stay hushed. “It’s bad enough that the girls to entertain such fantasies, I wouldn’t peg a grown man as yourself as someone talking about special cases and exceptions or romantic folly. It’s just a matter of chance, of higher authority. Anyone can be sacrificed. It’s all up to the lottery. It is fair. So no, I am not worried – I really don’t have time for such nonsense.” Belatedly, Leja realized she had been rambling. She looked Joktan in the eyes, daring him to contradict her. For a moment it seemed as if he would, but the moment passed and he just nodded. They exchanged a few strained parting words and then Leja was off, heading towards the kitchens and distracting herself by thinking over what chores she had for the day. 'Joktan POV' Joktan looked after Leja as she walked away in her usual brisk pace and tried to swallow his worries. She really was too good to be true in her stoic efficiency, but just this time he wished that she would be a little more efficiently worried for her current life expectancy. Bribing priests to overlook a lottery result was hard enough, to dare do that stunt with the high priest… hah, yeah. No. That wouldn’t work. Joktan felt the hard knot of worry tighten even as his shoulders sagged in defeat. Why did they have to find the bloody demon now of all times? Fixing the lottery results for the last sacrifice had dug a noticeable hole in his meagre guard salary and once again put back his plans of buying Leja. A bitter feeling of longing rose in him as Leja made a turn and got out of his sight. Of course, it was entirely possible that the lot would fall on someone else. Yes, there were at least thirty girls in the temple, the odds were good. Still, one could only escape fate so many times… No. He straightened and walked off towards the inner temple. Somehow she’ll be spared. Somehow. He had already decided upon it long ago. However, merely two hours later the lot was drawn and Joktan realized with clawing desperation that he didn’t have a clue as to how he could save Leja, aside from throwing her over his shoulder, making a mad dash out of the temple and hide somewhere so far away that even the priests wouldn’t reach them. As if that would ever be possible. 'Guess who's getting sacrificed' Leja was scrubbing pots and plates when Ina came into the kitchen to lead her away. The news of her upcoming sacrifice filled her Leja with a surreal numbness that left her feeling more detached than usual. Altha, the new girl who’d been sick over the sacrificial altar, made a squeak and dropped one of the large pans with an ear shattering rattle. Leja wondered to herself if it wasn’t a little odd that she was the one to do the comforting as she tried to hush and sooth the younger girl. Maybe it was just natural that someone got upset, maybe Altha just channelled the expected reaction in Leja’s place. Right now Leja wished she had paid more attention during all those years she had seen other get chosen. Back in the maids’ quarters Leja was met with a small group of girls that must have been called from their regular duties to prepare her for the impromptu sacrifice. They all expressed their condolences in one way or another, but no one really took it as hard as Altha had. Below the sombre surface Leja hinted an almost guilty relief within them. An unsaid “thank goodness it wasn’t me!” Apparently Ina had taken the opportunity to change the arrangement due to the unusual circumstances. This wouldn't be the ordinary stabbed-in-a-slab kind of sacrifice, but a personal meeting with a deity in flesh, and Ina would make sure that the sacrifice – Leja – would be suitably presented. As such, Leja wasn't just thoroughly scrubbed and soaped; she was also rubbed with oils and perfumes. After much searching and fussing, Ina even managed to get her hands on a nearly ancient set of robes from the last high priestess. During the day-long procedure Leja observed the pampering in a dream-like state. A smart voice in the back of her mind pointed out that she had never been nearly so richly treated in her whole life and as such this sacrifice ordeal wasn’t all that bad. Leja had to agree on that thought, but reminded herself that she really shouldn’t let her mind split up in voices, lest she’d get muddled. Cleia and Altha came by in between the washing and the oiling, bringing with them Leja’s last meal: a thick, warm broth. Luckily Altha had gotten herself together and just made some very faint snivelling sounds when she looked at Leja (who preferred not being looked at at all when she was only wearing a rather insufficient towel). Cleia on the other hand seemed – Leja wasn’t really sure if she could specify it beyond “upset”. Angry r frustrated possibly, but Leja couldn’t for her life figure out why Cleia would be angry over the sacrifice. Then again, Cleia seemed to be one of those constantly miffed people. “Thank you for the broth, it was good.” The glare Cleia sent her actually made Leja jerk back. “It was very good.” She hoped that the small exaggeration would dampen Altha and Cleia in their different takes on “upset”. It didn’t work. Ina was still off on her robe-hunt at this point, and the other girls in the room were sitting off to the side gossiping about the demon now that they were unsupervised. After ushering Altha off towards the group, Cleia sat down next to Leja. “Really, I don’t get it. How can you be so calm? Aren’t you afraid?” “Why should I be?” Why does everyone ask me that? “Oh I don’t know. No, wait, I do – because you’re going to die!” The last word came as a sharp hiss, by far more intimidating to Leja than the upcoming sacrifice. “Fine, I am worried – worried that you are going to get violent. It’s not like I could avoid dying anyway. Besides, I’ll get to personally meet a God, that’s quite an honour.” Leja offered a smile and nodded a little, feeling better as she said the words out loud. “You’re not serious are you? There are no such things as demonic Gods! I don’t know what kind of monster it is they have dragged here, but it’s not a God! There is no such thi-” It was instinct really. As soon as Leja registered what Cleia was saying her hands flew up to cover the blabbering mouth and hush her as loud as she dared. “Don’t say that – don’t even think something like that!” She knew about this kind of people. The gossip aside there actually were quite a number of them that got sent to the temples; heathens and unbelievers that spat at the Gods and called misfortune upon all. Carefully she let go of Cleia’s mouth but soon regretted it. “How can you be more upset over this than dying? Listen Leja, I don’t know what has happened to you to make you such a gullible puppet but I-” “I said shush! The gullible one here is you – I don’t care what your heathen faith says, you have to force those thoughts out of your mind. Do you understand? There are worse things than death that could happen to you here.” “Such as?” “Such as living for years and years far below the ground without dying.” “You two aren’t fighting aren’t you?” Leja spun around and found herself face to face with Altha, who stood there complete with big, teary eyes, quivering lip and delicate hands wringing her apron. She felt more than saw how Cleia wound down and relaxed. “Of course we’re not Allie, that’s just how it looked, but we weren’t. Come here, don’t sniffle. Come.” Leja watched in astonishment as Cleia wrapped the young girl in a hug, mumbling small comforts. She had to admit, maybe Cleia wasn’t constantly miffed. Maybe the small Altha just spoke to her protective side. Carefully, she reached out to touch Cleia’s arm. “Ask Ina to give you underground duty and you’ll see why you can’t give anyone here reason to deal with you.” Altha looked between them, brows draw together. Belatedly, Leja realized that young and naïve doesn’t mean deaf and stupid. “What are you two talking about?” This story has also been posted on *critiquecircle.com *Deviantart part 1, part 2, part 3part 4 Category:Stories Category:WIP Category:All Pages Category:World 43 Category:Needs a picture